The Pulse Briefing Gets You Started on Monday, Nov 2

Radio Broadcasting

Be Prepared For Anything: Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has urged listeners of his podcast to prepare for potential extended disruptions by stockpiling up to 30 days of food, water and emergency supplies, including batteries, an emergency radio, rain-collection gear and water-filtration tablets. MORE

AI Voice-Overs: A California judge has allowed former NPR host David Greene’s lawsuit against Google over NotebookLM’s male AI voice to proceed on all four claims. The ruling does not determine whether Google used Greene’s recordings. MORE

RIP: Singer Tony Butala, a founding member of the group The Lettermen and a longtime force behind its signature harmony sound, has died. MORE

Media Industry

Counting The Votes: On Tuesday night, news organizations across the United States will begin declaring winners in a closely contested midterm election, often before all votes are counted. MORE

Midtems Tuesday:  Fox News Channel’s television audience fell sharply in October, even as its parent company reported strong financial results, raising questions about whether viewers are taking a temporary break from political coverage or shifting away from the network. MORE

FCC Balance: Twenty-one Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have warned Senate Republican leaders not to advance any new Republican FCC nomination without pairing it with a Democratic commissioner—specifically the full-term renomination of Commissioner Anna M. Gomez. MORE

U-S News

'Like a Missle': All nine people aboard a business jet were killed Sunday when the aircraft crashed into a mobile home neighborhood near Palm Brach and erupted in flames.

15 Dead In Violence: A wave of shootings across 11 U.S. states during the Halloween 2026 weekend resulted in at least 15 deaths and more than 80 injuries. The violence occurred at various locations, including entertainment districts, college campuses, and holiday festivities in cities such as Dallas, Birmingham, and Newark.

Tiresome Politics: Democrat Rep. Haley Stevens has endorsed Republican former Rep. Mike Rogers in the Michigan Senate race, a move that has drawn sharp condemnation from Democratic leaders. The endorsement follows a contentious August primary between Stevens and Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed, and comes as both parties compete for Senate control.

For Registered Voters: It's Kitchen Table Issues

The economy and health care are the top issues for U.S. voters this year, with half of registered voters saying each is extremely important to their vote for Congress. Forty-seven percent say the same about Iran, according to a Gallup survey.

Income and wealth distribution is extremely important to 44% of voters, followed by gas prices at 42%, immigration at 40% and abortion at 38%. Crime and the Israeli-Palestinian situation each receive 35%. Artificial intelligence data center construction ranks at 30%, and climate change at 29%.

Gallup interviewed registered voters from Oct. 1-19 and asked them to rate 11 issues as extremely, very, moderately or not that important to their vote. A majority of voters rate every issue except climate change as at least very important.

Mid Terms: News Platforms' Plans

The 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3, are emerging as one of the most consequential and closely watched U.S. political contests in recent years. With control of Congress, key governorships, and the political trajectory of the next two years hanging in the balance, voters and analysts alike are bracing for a night of high drama, tight races, and rapid-fire developments.

Major news networks are responding with extensive, multi-platform coverage designed to keep audiences informed in real time. Reporters and correspondents will be embedded in battleground states, while anchors and analysts in Washington and New York studios deploy advanced graphics, data visualizations, and expert panels to interpret results as they come in. From traditional broadcast to streaming and interactive digital experiences, the coverage promises depth, speed, and accessibility across every major outlet.

Fox News Unveils Extensive Midterm Coverage Plans

• Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum to Co-Anchor “FOX News Democracy 26” November 3rd
• FOX News Channel to Unveil Enhanced Augmented Reality and Data-Driven Graphics
• FOX News App Debuts AI-Powered Election Chatbot, Interactive Maps
• Ruthless to Bring Its Signature Insider Take FOX Nation and FOX News Digital

FOX News Media will provide special multiplatform coverage of the 2026 midterm elections on Tuesday, November 3rd and throughout the surrounding days. Beginning at 6 PM/ET, FOX News Channel (FNC) will kick off November 3rd’s election night coverage with FOX News Democracy 26, co-anchored by Bret Baier, chief political anchor and executive editor of Special Report, and Martha MacCallum, anchor and executive editor of The Story.

NBC News To Present Extensive Election Coverage

• Savannah Guthrie, Tom Llamas, Kristen Welker, Hallie Jackson and Steve Kornacki Lead Continuous Coverage on NBC
• Steve Kornacki Live at the Big Board for NBC’s Election Night Special and ‘Kornacki Cam’ Livestream, Which Generated 41 Million+ Starts During the Primaries
• NBC News Decision Desk to Power Race Calls and Real-Time Results Across Broadcast, Streaming, NBCNews.com and the NBC News App

NBC News will present “Decision ’26,” NBC’s most extensive midterm election coverage ever, with 13 hours of rolling live coverage on the NBC broadcast network beginning Tuesday, Nov. 3 at 5 p.m. ET until Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 6 a.m. ET, with most stations joining at 6:30 p.m. ET. NBCNews.com and the NBC News app will be live with 24/7 election data, insights, analysis and updates, along with additional coverage across NBC News NOW, Peacock, YouTube and NBC News’ social media platforms.

CBS News Unveils More Plans For Election Coverage

Just a day away from the midterm elections, CBS News continues to expand AMERICA DECIDES: ELECTION 2026, its multiplatform coverage with new features designed to enhance the information experience on television, online, and on social media.

As previously announced, CBS EVENING NEWS anchor Tony Dokoupil, CBS MORNINGS co-hosts Norah O’Donnell and Gayle King, FACE THE NATION moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan, along with a team of CBS News’ top political journalists and a team around the country will deliver up-to-the-minute coverage on the CBS Television Network, CBS News 24/7 and online beginning at 7:00 PM ET.

How News Media Make Midterm Race Calls

On Tuesday night, news organizations across the United States will begin declaring winners in a closely contested midterm election, often before all votes are counted.

Most television networks and digital outlets rely on one of two providers for vote counts: The Associated Press or election-data firm Decision Desk HQ. The Wall Street Journal and MS NOW will rely on AP race calls. Fox News and CBS News will make their own projections, using AP vote counts, exit polls, early-voting totals and statistical models.

Consumers Tiring of Following The News

Fox News Channel’s television audience fell sharply in October, even as its parent company reported strong financial results, raising questions about whether viewers are taking a temporary break from political coverage or shifting away from the network.

Fox’s total-day audience dropped 27% from a year earlier, while CNN and MS NOW gained viewers, according to Nielsen data. Among adults ages 25 to 54, Fox’s total-day audience fell 32% to an average of 98,000, its lowest monthly level in 25 years.

GOP Lawmakers On Notice Over FCC Nominations

Twenty-one Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee have warned Senate Republican leaders not to advance any new Republican FCC nomination without pairing it with a Democratic commissioner—specifically the full-term renomination of Commissioner Anna M. Gomez.⁠

In a letter dated October 29, 2026, to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas), the lawmakers—led by Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-Calif.)—said confirming an additional Republican “without also securing continued Democratic representation would upset that balance.” They wrote that “the Commission functions as intended only when both parties have a seat at the table.”

Federal Judge Dismisses Trump-Ordered DOJ Alaska Lawsuit

A federal judge on Sunday rejected the Justice Department’s bid to order Alaska officials to set aside some ballots and hold up the certification of the results in its Senate election in the event of a Republican loss.

In her decision, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason shot down an extraordinary request from the Justice Department last month to block the resolution of the election if Sen. Dan S. Sullivan (R) narrowly loses. Another candidate with a nearly identical name, Dan J. Sullivan Jr., is also running, which the department argues could confuse voters and propel Democrat Mary Peltola to an unfair victory.

Judge Tosses Trump-Wall Street Journal $10B Suit

A federal judge dismissed President Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal’s publisher for a second time, ruling that Trump failed to show the newspaper acted with actual malice in reporting on a birthday letter attributed to him and sent to Jeffrey Epstein. The dismissal was with prejudice, meaning Trump cannot refile the case, though his legal team said he would appeal.

U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles said Trump’s allegations were “conclusory, vague” and often inconsistent with or irrelevant to the article. He had dismissed an earlier version of the lawsuit in April but allowed Trump to amend and refile it.

AI Voice Lawsuit Against Google To Proceed

A California judge has allowed former NPR host David Greene’s lawsuit against Google over NotebookLM’s male AI voice to proceed on all four claims. The ruling does not determine whether Google used Greene’s recordings.

Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Shella Deen rejected Google’s challenge Oct. 23. Greene alleges that Google used his voice to create and market NotebookLM’s default male AI host without permission. His claims include violation of California’s right-of-publicity law, unfair competition, misappropriation, and unjust enrichment.

Google Sues To Halt Scam Impersonation Ads

Google has sued unidentified fraudsters over emails impersonating the company to trick people into handing over personal information and Google account credentials. The company is seeking damages and a court order to stop the alleged scheme.

The complaint, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that a group based in Vietnam sent fake job-interview invitations using Google’s name and colors. The emails directed recipients to a website resembling Google’s job-application portal, where they were asked for contact details and, later, their Google usernames and passwords.

Radio Host, Podcaster Dan Bongino Urges Listeners: "Be Prepared"

Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has urged listeners of his podcast to prepare for potential extended disruptions by stockpiling up to 30 days of food, water and emergency supplies, including batteries, an emergency radio, rain-collection gear and water-filtration tablets.⁠

Speaking on “The Dan Bongino Show,” Bongino cited recent preparedness warnings from the United Kingdom and other countries amid concerns over cyberattacks, geopolitical instability and vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure. He argued that practical readiness is the best way to avoid panic.

“Panic kills,” he said, drawing on his experience as a former Secret Service agent. “The way to reduce anxiety and panic in tumultuous times is to be prepared.” He told listeners to gather “an emergency radio, some batteries, some emergency food,” along with rain collection, water filtration and filtration tablets.

Dolly Parton Memoir Fetches $13M

A posthumous memoir by Dolly Parton has sold to Grand Central Publishing in a deal valued at $13 million following a competitive bidding process, according to Page Six Hollywood and other reports.

The project, represented by the literary agency Folio, generated significant interest from major publishers. While details regarding the manuscript’s contents or composition date remain undisclosed, the sale follows the death of the music icon in August at age 80.

Bundle of Joy: Peter Doocy Family Adds New Fox Viewer

The Doocy Family

Peter Doocy and Hillary Vaughn have welcomed their third child, a daughter named Molly Kate, making their family a “party of five.” Molly Kate was born Oct. 22 at 10:04 p.m. and joins big sister Bridget, 3, and big brother George, 18 months.

R.I.P.: Tony Butala, Founding Member of The Lettermen

Tony Butala, a founding member of the vocal group The Lettermen and a longtime force behind its signature harmony sound, has died, the group announced.

Butala began singing professionally at age 7 in Sharon, Pennsylvania. By age 8 he was performing on KDKA radio in Pittsburgh. After the family relocated to California, he joined the Mitchell Boys Choir and appeared in films including “White Christmas,” “Peter Pan,” “War of the Worlds” and “On Moonlight Bay.”

Radio History: Nov 2

➦In 1920...KDKA in Pittsburgh went on the air as the first commercial radio station, a distinction that has also been challenged by other stations (see below), although it has claimed to be the "world's first commercially licensed radio station": WWJ in Detroit, Michigan, lists its "First Air Date" as August 20, 1920.

Listen to announcer Leo Rosenberg, radio's first announcer:

Frank Conrad's experimental 75-watt transmitter

Frank Conrad

KDKA's roots began with the efforts of Westinghouse employee Frank Conrad who operated KDKA's predecessor 75 watt 8XK from the Pittsburgh suburb of Wilkinsburg from 1916. Conrad, who had supervised the manufacturing of military receivers during WWI, broadcast phonograph music and communicated with other amateur radio operators via 8YK. On September 29, 1920, the Joseph Horne department store in Pittsburgh began advertising amateur wireless sets for $10, which could be used to listen to Conrad’s broadcasts.

Westinghouse vice president and Conrad’s supervisor, Harry P. Davis, saw the advertisement and recognized the economic potential of radio. Instead of it being limited as a hobby to scientific experimenters, radio could be marketed to a mainstream audience. Consequently, Davis asked Conrad to build a 100-watt transmitter, which would air programming intended to create widespread demand for Westinghouse receivers.